#cuz i want input from the right people

[wifeyoozi]

more woozi boyfriend headanons except no one really talks enough about these ones because hi my name is ceecee and I am clinically insane about this man

he is veryyy veryyy touchy and cuddly. idk why people always think this otherwise but I firmly believe that in a relationship he's very touchy. he may not be the one initiating the touches, but he always has this one particular whiny look or sound from which you know that your man needs one good hug ]. an attention whore who's too proud to admit. (tho this only happens when you two are alone cuz he is also one shy bean)

I feel that once you get actually close to him, he would share every detail of his life with you and will hear every detail of yours. in his mind its just something really intimate. when he's had a hard or tiring day, he wont be shy into fitting himself in your arms, might even crawl up your lap (so long he ain't hurting you with his weight ofc)

he likes having deep conversations with you, about his future and about yours and about the future of you two together. he talks about how he wants to continue his career and hears about the same of yours, even putting genuine inputs of his own when and if you ask for his opinion. he likes to talk about how he really wants to spend a long long time with you and ho he wants to marry you one day and have children with you. it could be during a good dinner or late at night just before you two are about to sleep when these conversations usually happen

he loves buying you expensive stuff, yes, but more than that he likes to buy you little stuff that might seem insignificant and effortless to an outsider but may really means something deep in your relation. that little coffee cup pendant he got you from a cheap local store? it reminds him of your first date when you accidentally spilled your coffee on him and then panicled while rubbing the stains off his expensive shirt. you didn't even know then how he was already falling in love with you as you wiped his shirt. there are just thousands of stuff he sees and immediately thinks of you or something related to your relationship and buys it for you. (he also makes those girlfriend gifts from interest for you tho they always turn out so messy and ugly but he gives them to you anyway because he loves watching you laugh softly as you thank him for his efforts.)

he doesn't ask you to take care of yourself. ik how it sounds, but really he never tells you that. he'll take care of you instead. you don't drink enough water? he sets water reminders on your phone. you don't eat on time? he'll always have food ordered to you. you overwork yourself? he'll pull you with him in bed and force you to rest, might even offer to do your work if it is something he can do. he never finds it a burden or a "work" he has to do as a boyfriend. its just a natural feeling in him. and he feels happy at the end of the day after having taken care of you.

i know how popular headcanon it is that jihoon invites you to his studio often late at night but no one talks about how he will always have a car to pick you up. not a cab, mind you, he'll get one of his bodyguards or a trusted friend or coworker to pick you up. if he is not as busy, he will pick you up himself. would never allow you to travel lat at night all alone or with a stranger. he protective like that.

tell me how this makes sense but the only time he likes being teased by his members is when he is teased about you. i think hoshi and dk would be main culprit, always teasing about how lovey dovey he is with you or even exaggeratedly mimicking the two of you. but he inwardly feels proud of how all his friends know about how affectionate he is of you. like idk how to explain but you get it right like he just feel proud that everyone knows how much he loves you to be teasing the way they do. (he also loves how naturally all members befriend you and how you just mingle in their group without any awkwardness)

he is a back hugger. whatever you are doing, he'll sneak up behind you and wrap his arms around your waist and maybe lean his head on your shoulder lazily. kisses the top of your head or the back of your head, depending on how much taller he is (sometimes will go on his tippy toes to get that extra inches to kiss your head on top).

now some nsfw ones:

one of his favorite ways to tease you is asking you to watch an anime with him except it is some dirty hentai. he wouldn't let you touch yourself or even squeeze your thighs at all until the end while he is shamelessly jerking off beside you. he just wants you to get as wet as you can without getting off even a little.

has a kind of voice/sound fetish if you can call it that. loves to hear you moan and whimper and literally any sound you make turns him on like so much. he has plenty times recorded the sounds he has made to hear later when he is alone on tours or schedules for when he has to masturbate

unpopular opinion but he likes sensual massages, both giving and receiving. he loves giving you pleasure in more than one ways as he skillfully massages oil on your body and is equally turned on when you do it to him. (brings me an idea for woozi + massage parlour sex hmmmm)

he is a women pleaser!!! a service dom!!!! a worshipper!!!! i don't understand how people assume he is a mean dom or a strict dom. this man listens to bruno mars if that ain't the give away that he is the most soft and sensual lover then idk what is. loves praising you. defo puts his partner's needs and orgasms before his. but simultaneously makes sure to not tire you out too much. praises you and worships you and loves kissing every inch of your being.

big big dick. not an unpopular opinion ik but I will say it again. he has a big dick you cannot tell me otherwise. all that bde ain't with nothing. i think its on fatter side than longer but either way its enough to make you drool over it. early in the relationship, cocktraining you was his favorite part, whether with your mouth or your pussy.

(tw ass play) probably fucks ass. i think he'll have a thing for fucking the back door. just something he I see him want to explore. he'll make you super comfortable with everything of course. is gentler and would only do it all so long you are comfortable and okay with it. also spanks your ass just cuz he likes to see the way it jiggles and likes to hear you whine when he does it.

top grade munch. with how much he takes out his tongue out of his mouth, I refuse to believe he is anything below the best when it comes to eating you out. he ain't stopping till you're crying and writhing and shaking and have cum enough times to make his face drip with your juices.

also another popular opinion but cant get over how jihoon uses his muscles and strength to his advantage. during your intimate moments, jihoon uses his strength to assert his dominance, effortlessly lifting you and positioning you as he desires. he grips your thighs tightly, spreading them apart and pinning you against the wall or bed, his control evident in every powerful thrust. his hands explore your body with a commanding touch, leaving no doubt about who is in charge. the intensity of his strength combined with the passion in his actions leaves you feeling completely overwhelmed and exhilarated, fully surrendering to his dominant side. loves it when his grip leaves behind marks and bruises on your thighs and hip.

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV S2 Ep8 Musings - Loumand (Spoilers)

This was so effed up, wow; I'm FURIOUS with Armand, even though I've been expecting this from him since Season 1. Cuz the ish he said just never lined up right; the most unreliable narrator's been Armand the whole time! Louis' brain is scrambled, but at least he's SINCERE. But THIS mofo has been deliberately LYING since JUMP.

Longest divorce proceedings ever--took 77 years, dang. Armand said it was the night Madeleine was turned--Mr. They Gave Me A Choice. I Chose. But that's a effing lie, too!

Cuz in Ep6, BEFORE Louis even told Armand he was gonna turn Madz, Santiago was busy committing all those "strange crimes reported;" climbing the Eiffel Tower to wake up Lestat, and breaking into cinemas to steal their color film reels for the Trial's projector.

They threw Sam under the bus as if HE wrote effed up Trial script--but THIS was when they actually started writing it--with ARMAND's input & direction.

But I'm jumping ahead.

WTF is going on here?! O_O Is this a human the Theatre keeps around for the plays, zoned out so they stay alive until they're on stage? So Armand's punishment is the shame of having to feed the "cattle"? And HOW MANY nights was Lou in there? :(

Louis was locked up for over a MONTH!? 😨 While Armand just SAT THERE?!

Lou's not screaming from starvation, MORON--he starved himself for YEARS. His DAUGHTER is DEAD.

The frame of Paul is wild--Louis was ready to end it all. U_U He didn't want to be "rescued"--he wanted his baby girl back. "What was left to endure for?"

Man's a consummate actor--everything you're about to see is FAKE.

A "sacrifice" for the "god" Armand serves, eh? (AMC got my guy out here sucking on rocks, omg. XD I hope they taste like chips or popcorn or something.)

Louis CONSTANTLY shushing people on this show, I love it!

LIES. Lou's WAY too good for Armand; I'd've been like SURPRISE! 🔥 "My rage and madness were asleep--" chile. You loved Armand, and thought he'd cared enough to save you, which is why you were able to swallow that weak AF I Could Not Prevent It excuse from a 500 yr old vamp.

Daniel is on the hunt! I LOVE how they're introducing Raglan like he's just some kindly ole assistant/researcher/editor. Honey, you've got a big storm coming! "Reciprocation"--Daniel's a vampire now, so you KNOW Raglan's gonna start cashing in them I-O-Us from Dan! 💀

77 years later.... 😬

200 years is a mighty long time to maintain a relationship built on death threats, power imbalances, and lies.

Lestat was right--even 77 years was a effing miracle--extra time bought at the price of Louis' memories being oh-so-conveniently erased.

THEY rehearsed it--LIE. There Armand goes, deflecting culpability.

Louis sleeping in Claudia's coffin, stop, my feels. U_U

Omfg Armand; of COURSE you don't remember the last thing y'all said to e/o in Paris b4 y'all left Lestat to travel Egypt--but you can "remember" alllll this other bullcrap, eh?

So they've already done Trinity Gate?

BY ALL MEANS. EXPOSE THEM.

Not Sam being in Daftpunk, y'all need to stop IMMEDIATELY. (But now I know wtf was going on in the Season 3 announcement--I was so confused why they were mentioning Sam!)

ARMAND told the coven to let the audience read Claudia's diaries and VIOLATE her body (of work), omfg 😱

Mr Frankenstein disrespected her at EVERY turn!

I could forgive spitting over "Come to Me" and how Loustat met in NOLA, but I draw the line at spitting at adding the animation of Lestat killing that dear sweet racoon! XD

Armand had the NERVE to look away when they bum-rushed Claudia & Louis with the Mind Gift.

"It's their turn to hurt--" ARMAND said he didn't think Louis would love him for 200 years, so he SOLD THEM TF OUT--to DIE.

They were HOBBLING AROUND WITH GASHED ANKLES, LAUGHED at, and stuffed in RAT BOXES! And ARMAND was in on the whole thing!

This is WILD, AMC, y'all are sick for this, but I love it!

Is DANIEL using Armand's "slave name" and abusing him, y'all? HUH? It's all BULLCRAP--Armand's BEEN in control, with all the real power the WHOLE. EFFING. TIME.

EFF what you call him, or whatever kinky ROLES he PLAYS.

ARMAND decides who lives and dies, as THE coven master--eff who's called Maitre!

Armand was gonna let Lou DIE. "He just took credit for it when the opportunity presented itself." Wow.

He let Louis suffer in that crypt for over a MONTH before he FINALLY had a change of hear/conscience and pulled him out!

And even then he wasn't gonna go WITH Louis--he expected Louis to flee Paris! ALONE.

He stayed with Louis cuz Louis destroyed his whole effing coven! Who else did Armand HAVE but Louis after that? HE CHOSE THE COVEN.

Poor dear; he wasn't held enough between ritualistic fledgling executions. 🙄😒 "We are teachers of one another! Louis, everything that gives you happiness gives me...." WHAT? What does it give you, Armand? (I cannot WAIT for S3 to do more DM, cuz I've been HATING Armand connected in any way to Louis & Claudia. I don't like not liking Armand; he's my fave book character! But AMC's bound & determined to make me spit every time he starts talking.)

Excellent grounds to get the house, the dog, the Farm, Damek, AND Rashid in the divorce! XD

And this gremlin's got the audacity to STILL be lying, even when caught LITERALLY red-handed with his notes to Santiago in the effing margins--meanwhile CLAUDIA was CONDEMNED TO DEATH for premeditating Lestat's death in HER written diaries--which ARMAND had passed around like candy at his carnival of horrors!

"An insignificant detail delivered by an insignificant mortal"--Rolin must hate Armand, he's not giving this dude an INCH. XD And SAM delivered it, not Daniel. SAM snitched on the coven. (WHEN?! And WHY?)

I don't like the whole "you should fear the other one--" only for Raglan to be like SOS GET OUT OF THERE NOW. Didn't Raglan know Armand was lying his arse off? Or was it misdirection--fear Louis' retribution when he busts a cap in Armand's lying arse?

DanLou nation RISE! ^0^

This was beautiful; I'm so happy for them. They started off TERRIBLY, but look at that bond just blossom like a magnolia tree Armand tried to clip and prune and graft and manipulate--only for it to flourish wild and free!

[laz-262]

Um I got bored and decided to try out writing by drawing similarities between MK characters and the planets (yes from that tiktok slideshow) so enjoy my incessant brainrot :]

sun - is alone but still shines (liu kang)

Like duh, he is the keeper of time in this timeline, he gave up his mortality to keep the rest of the universe alive, and yet he will never find anyone that is able to live alongside him in fear of his attachment to them and doesn’t want to face the grief of loosing them (the only exception being geras)

I feel like he would’ve contemplated reaching out to kung lao but he refrained from doing so cuz it wasn’t his kung lao, and kung lao already had raiden. And since raiden never intruded their friendship before (in previous timelines), he wanted to do the same out of respect. It’s not like kung lao would even recognise the man standing in front of him either.

mercury the forgotten planet (mileena/baraka)

This feels like a stretch, but it feels that many choose to focus more on kitana over mileena, especially when sindel tells kitana that sometimes she wished kitana had been borned first. maybe it was partly due to liu kang’s design, choosing to indulge in designing kitana over mileena, who in the previous timeline, was nothing but kitana’s clone.

People in the empress’ inner circle sometimes doubt her ability to rule outworld, and kitana and jerrod do provide valuable input, but having tarkat does not necessarily cloud mileena’s mind, at least not yet, and she is more than capable of showing outworld her capabilities that she is fit to rule, just like her mother.

Either that or baraka, a famed merchant with everything he wanted, had everything taken away from him. tarkat, the disease that ravaged his body, that left his family dead, that shunned him away from his race. He was exiled to the tarkat community, forbidden from stepping into Sun Do until recent events took place.

Between Baraka and Mileena, I feel like the common thread is their tarkat affliction that clouds people’s judgement, that causes people to forget the previous feats they were capable of. Which causes them to be seen as nothing but their disease.

venus - planet of love, destroyed by global warming (johnny cage)

The man, the myth, the living legend. he had everything, he still does, and yet he didn’t feel it was enough. He wanted more, and that was too much to handle. And because of his own gluttony and greed, he lost his wife, the person that loved him for who he was, not what he could become. Yet, when he finally achieved what he could become, perhaps he had lost himself in the process. Maybe he did feel grief for his now ex-wife, but the Johnny Cage everyone knows doesn’t cry, he smiles and laughs it off. Right?

But Johnathan Carlton, the person he is, the broken man he is, allows himself time to grieve, to let slip the tears he didn’t know were there for so long he thought they’d dried up. and when he finally dries them away, perhaps finally has the ability to properly move on from everything, and figure out what he truly wants.

earth - slowly destroying itself (kuai liang)

The younger of the biological lin kuei brothers, breaking the lifelong pact he formed with said brother, moving on to form a new clan. Despite feeling hatred and betrayal towards bi han, he also can’t help but feel.. disappointed that things turned out this way, that they couldn’t have worked together, that he and bi han couldn’t fix their relationship.

He partly blames himself for their falling out, with his hot headedness stripping away the one thing that his brother and him had in common, his lin kuei badge. His feelings of betrayal not just because of bi han, but towards the lin kuei, eat him up from the inside.

He know that he isn’t at fault, and the lin kuei are now set on his and tomas’ heads, but he can’t help feel that he should’ve done more, to convince bi han from listening to that conniving sorcerer. now he leads a newly formed clan alongside tomas, and even though the running of a new clan tires him to no end, the gnawing feeling of loss of his brother still sets him on the path of self loathing.

However, there also lies the foolish hope that still burns like a weak ember in his heart, that maybe his brother is not all lost, and something can still be done to salvage him.

moon - doesn’t shine by itself, its light is just a reflection of the sun (geras)

Everyone is so focused on liu kang’s revelation of being a keeper of time it is also easy to overlook the role of the keeper of the hourglass himself. While geras does not mind the relative lack of recognition, he too owes his life and creation to liu kang, with the purpose of his whole existence lying in the large glass object that keeps track of all time.

It’s funny, the duality of how geras can turn out while under different keepers, from a ruthless, unstoppable soldier under kronika to a gentle yet insightful partner by liu kang’s side. it almost reflects how the moon has different phases when the sun and earth are in different positions. who knows, perhaps he would turn out differently in another keeper’s timeline. But his purpose remains forever unchanging, to stand by the keeper’s side, and to protect the hourglass, within which all of reality resides in.

even mars once had water on its surface (syzoth)

Ok hear me out, syzoth, an outcast from his own species, and zaterrans were shut out by outworld themselves. One could’ve never fathom he would’ve found love, and yet he did. A wife and kid, whom he loved unconditionally, as they did he. Maybe he had finally found the happy ending he could never find in his hometown.

But when shang tsung broke the cruel news to him, maybe he did finally break, realised that fate just enjoys playing cruel pranks on him. And this time, maybe he’ll just laugh dryly in its face. And maybe the tears that prick his eyes when he thinks back on perhaps the only two people that loved him without hesitation will fill the dried riverbeds on the desolate planet that is his heart.

jupiter - supposed to be a star but failed (kung lao)

I feel like this is another given, kung lao was never meant to be the champion, at least in this timeline. He tried, he tried so hard to prove himself, if not to raiden but to himself, that he was enough, and yet he couldn’t even prove that his best was enough. forever a walking second place medal.

Yet there is so much about him he doesn’t see in himself that so many others can see so clearly, his jokes, his get going personality, his ability to light up the room, to get completely different people to work together. It feels like such a paradox, he gets caught up in both his perfections and flaws he doesn’t see the things that make him a truly enjoyable person to be around

saturn is slowly loosing its rings (raiden)

Guys let me cook pls. Raiden, the farmer boy that became earthrealm’s champion, obviously a lot of responsibility comes with the title. He goes on to become the shaolin’s newest master, and slowly more commitments start to get piled on him. But he still smiles, and graciously accepts the load given to him.

Nevertheless, a day only has 24 hours, and most of that time is taken up by these responsibilities. While raiden is grateful for the opportunities he’s given, he slowly looses out on time spent with his closest companions, with his family. His grip on his previous life in fengjian slowly loosens and gradually becomes nothing but the past. Even though he still visiting his hometown, he knows he can’t return in fear of endangering all those he holds dear there, with kung lao and his hat the only pieces that remind him of home.

uranus was once closest to the sun, but slowly drifted away (kitana)

Kitana, at least to liu kang, was prob his everything at one point, the love of his life, and yet he managed to fail to keep her safe, watching in broken arms as she slipped away from him. even now as keeper of time, he can do nothing but watch from afar as the kitana he knew was instead a completely different person, despite wearing t he same face.

Titan kitana, his kitana on the other hand, didn’t even know that her liu kang still existed outside of her timeline, so close and yet out of reach. she moved on, carrying out her duties as keeper of time as sand continued to fall in the hourglass. Only did she finally come face to face with liu kang, her liu kang, did she realise how much she missed him, and how long it had been since she saw him, always holding a secret flame of hope of seeing him again despite creating him in her own timeline, she, much like her liu kang, could do little in interfering with the timeline, to come undone and let all her emotions flood out to the person that wouldn’t even recognise her

neptune is slowly moving away from the solar system (bi han)

Bi han always wanted more, he wanted power over the realms, rather than merely safeguarding it. So when he decided to accept shang tsung’s deal, he thought he did what was right for the clan. But what he didn’t realise that by making a deal for everything, he had already lost it all.

The 2 brothers that stood by him in whatever war they fought, turned their back on him when they witnessed his endless thirst for authority. And by siding with shang tsung he had already lost any previous ally he had in the past.

While he initially thought that it was of little consequence, after shang tsung’s defeat, here he stood alone, with his clan, against the world. Of course, his clan was of no small scale, with cyrax and sektor by his side. but still he had never felt more alone

Though he would never admit it, he missed the presence of his brothers providing their unending support in their endeavours. he missed liu kang’s annoyingly good advice to their plans. Perhaps he believes that it is already too late to fix old wounds, now he faces his brothers’ new clan, leading the charge. There was nothing to do but continue moving forward, that’s just how the threads of fate works, time only moves forward.

pluto was too small to seem significant (tomas)

Tomas, the youngest of the lin kuei brothers, and not even by blood. While bi hans words stung, they were no doubt the truth, despite how much tomas turns away from it. He was an orphaned child, picked up by the clan that decimated his entire family and took him in out of sympathy.

They tried to treat him like he really was a lin kuei, or at least kuai liang did, but tomas knew he didn’t and will never belong there. and yet, he still forced himself to believe that they were his real brothers, and treated them as such. But it was when bi han turned his back on him and kuai liang, did he realise that he would never be enough to bi han, that bi han never thought of him as his equal, that he never saw tomas significant enough to be his brother, to be lin kuei.

But maybe, with the creation of the new clan, the shirai ryu, maybe this is where he will find his new family, one that will not shun him for not being enough, one that sees him for who he is, not what he could never be.

[ancientgreekyuri]

Dance of Our Nature (1/2)

Summary: Theseus, former King of Athens, brings Asterius to the blessed fields. While there, he meets someone very dear to the king.

Notes: Originally a fic about Theseus n Asterius I scrapped due to it feeling too aimless 💔 I took my favourite chapter and reworked it so I could put Dianthus in it too :~) I didn’t do any major edits cuz I’m kind of tired of working on this so be nice….

There’s some background info established in the sort of “prequel” fic to this, but I’m not sure if I want to link it here… but it shouldn’t too hard to understand without that context.

~2878 words. Contains Theseus fishing for compliments and being generally so cringe and fail, awkward first interactions, fruit eating, and Asterius trying to remember that he’s just as much as a man as he is a bull.

No particular warnings as far as I can think, but Theseus and Asterius do have a little bit of an unbalanced dynamic so early on into their relationship. They’ll work on it as time goes on, of course!

🎵: Cicada | Here We Are!

Theseus was not what the Minotaur would have expected a king to be like. Some of the traits he remembered from his short time spent on the surface were there: Theseus was imposing when he wanted to be, his voice could fill a room, and despite his small height the way he presented himself made him seem almost god-like in stature. He was the king who unified Athens, famed for being fair and honorable even to those who too had been cursed by gods. Such nobility could only be afforded to one such as himself, who was scholar, leader, and warrior alike. 

Despite all this, Asterius realized that Theseus was still only human. And because he was only human, Theseus was also clumsy, teetering on the side of accident prone: several times now he had managed to fall over nothing, or nearly trip (again!)  into one of the underworld’s many river branches, or even get distracted by his own dramatic speeches and end up walking face first into a pillar. (Theseus attempted with great gusto to pretend that he intentionally smashed his face in, so that the bull may watch as he seductively wiped away the blood from his injury.  Unfortunately for the king he was wincing in pain all the while, and instead looked more silly than anything else.) Asterius also noticed how Theseus struggled to focus on anything other than what interested him at the moment. What interested him right now was Asterius himself, and seemingly only that, for each time the bull spoke in an attempt to direct Theseus’ attention elsewhere it took the king some time to even realize that something had been said, and even then his reply would be short and distracted.  Immediately after he finished talking he would return to simply gazing at Asterius’ face with some unidentifiable emotion, or stroking his large biceps with a curious hand. When he did wish to talk, however, Theseus could easily hold entire conversations by himself. It was charming in its own way, and only slightly grating. “…And that is why I despise my cousin Menetheus!” Theseus finished his story with a grand gesture, exasperation clear in his voice. Asterius paid close attention, half out of genuine curiosity, and half out of having nothing better to do. “Such an insufferable cur was undeserving of the title of king! Don’t you agree, Dear Asterius?”

Asterius nodded in response. He’d not spoken much during the duration of this journey— he wasn’t quite sure what to say in this strange situation he’d somehow ended up in, and the king already spoke so much on his own. It felt almost unnecessary to make any further additions…

Still, Theseus gave him an almost expectant look just now, as if he were waiting for input. 

“You were… much better suited for the role than he.” said Asterius with uncertainty. He did not have much experience with complimenting people, and that was clearly what Theseus’ sought.  “You were Athens’ greatest king, certainly.”

Despite his stunted words, Theseus still beamed brightly with a smile, and gave Asterius’ hand a tight squeeze. “How kind of you to say, my friend! And I must say I agree! There is none other than myself who is more suited for the role of— ah, hold a moment. I believe we have reached our destination! And here I’d been expecting more of a challenge in reaching our shared goal! Bah!” “Yes,” Asterius agreed, neglecting to bring up how the many ways Theseus accidentally hurt himself during their journey together were certainly a challenge in their own right. Together they stood before a large gate, its metal slightly browned with age. Asterius could swear there was something massive swimming beneath the water nearby, but Theseus seemed not to be concerned by it, and so Asterius would choose to ignore it as well. When met with Theseus’ touch, the gate lifted with a groan, allowing them both to enter a small rest area. Asterius took a moment to brush ash out of his fur; how strange that, despite Asphodel being a land of clear waters and ordinary scruffy grass, embers floated in the air. Once he’d finished, he found Theseus waiting at the other end of the corridor, waiting patiently to be rejoined by his companion. (Or rather, as patiently as he was capable of. While he made no push to rush Asterius, his casually leaning against the door did not make the tapping of his foot go unnoticed.) “Are you ready, Asterius? Here is where your new life shall begin! You shall finally have a chance to live as a prince should! Aha, such a thing must be nerve-wracking for you. But fear not, my friend! I shall support you every step of the way!” Asterius snorted in response; he was beginning to realize Theseus had a habit of announcing his own emotions, but would never attribute them to himself. The king was surely nervous, but it was much easier to say that Asterius was the nervous one. But the bull saw no reason to complain about such a thing, and thus did not mention it. He wouldn’t have had time to regardless, not with Theseus opening the final gate, and the blessed fields being within reach.

“Here we are!” To Asterius’ surprise, the gate opened to a small copse of trees.  Theseus stepped out first, fallen leaves crunching beneath his feet. “There is someone here expecting us! Let us not keep her waiting for longer than we already have, yes?”

Asterius in turn poked his head out… The breeze was the first thing he noticed, cool and refreshing, gentle against his fur. Then, the scent… fresh and green, but also slightly sweet, like fruit being carried on the wind. He felt nearly enticed to follow the direction of it. 

He stepped out behind Theseus, and was nearly startled at the sound of twigs and dried leaves being crushed beneath his weight. The sound was foreign to him… could he be blamed if he wanted to kick his legs against the ground, and see what other interesting noises could be made?

Soon, Asterius allowed the strange king to gently guide him forward. It took both of Theseus’ hands to be able to fully wrap around one of the bull’s wrists… it was strange realizing that the man who stood so large within his memory was so small in reality. It was strange to be continuing on in silence, but Asterius was certain that even if Theseus had spoken, he would not have heard him. The new sights and sounds around him were too much of a distraction, nearly to the point of making him dizzy. “Now, where could she be… ah!” Across the distant fields, Asterius could just barely make out a woman decked out in bright pink, sitting upon a marble bench beneath a flower-covered trellis. She seemed to notice them first, and stood. Upon seeing this, Theseus released Asterius’ hand, and bounded down to meet with her. “Ah, my lady! How I’ve missed you!” (At this distance it should have been difficult to make out the king’s words. But Asterius’ hearing was very good, and Theseus himself was very, very loud.) “I told you I would return, did I not? Let this be a lesson to you, my lady, that I am a man of my words!” Asterius watched as Theseus lifted the girl into his arms with ease, and she erupted into warm laughter in response. He kissed against her jaw once, then again, then against her cheek, and soon the girl’s laughter turned to squealing. Asterius’ chest felt tight at their affection— he didn’t know why. “Asterius, dear bull!” Though reluctant, he returned the girl to her feet, but not before giving her a final kiss upon her forehead.  “I would like you to meet Lady Dianthus of Oenoe, my… erm. Ahem. A-anyways! It was with her help that I was able to bring you here to the blessed fields. You must be curious as to how that happened, hmm? Allow me to start from the beginning! Some great many years ago, I…” “Theseus, I don’t imagine your bull-friend would want to hear about that right now! He’s probably tired, and you should be too! Besides, I didn’t do anything that impressive…” the girl waved her hand dismissively, causing Theseus to gasp rather dramatically. “Ah, my lady is far too modest! To reason with the gods themselves is impressive indeed.” Theseus squeezed the girl’s hand. For a moment, his typical cocky expression faded into something warm and soft. He brought her hand up to his lips, for a kiss. “And you have done both Asterius, and myself, a great kindness.” The girl pouted in an almost childish fashion, though her cheeks did darken at Theseus’ gesture. Instead of trying to further combat the king’s words, she turned her attention elsewhere. “It is… nice to meet you, Asterius.” Her voice was soft, but did not hold the nervousness Asterius would have expected from one who was laying eyes upon The Minotaur for the first time. Asterius nodded. 

"Now, let us celebrate this victory! Asterius, my dear friend, stay here a moment with the lady. I shall return quicker than any bolt of Zeus!” Theseus rushed off before either could ask just what it was he intended to do, though Asterius had an inkling it would be something indulgent, as the king seemed to value pleasure above all else. He turned his attention to the girl before him. She was small, Asterius noted, but not much smaller than the king himself. Her long hair was covered in a variety of spring flowers and green vines, connecting to a halo of fresh fruit. He watched closely as the small bud of a flower bloomed open, just as another near it took its final breath, and fell to the ground below. He supposed she was like his mother in that regard; a nymph, but only in part. “Asterius…?” The bull nearly jolted, suddenly hearing his name. He had been starring, he now realized, though he hadn’t intended to. “You seem awfully meek for someone of your reputation, you know. Ah, but that’s not what I wanted to say… what I mean is, you don’t need to be just standing there. Come sit next to me- if you’d like to, that is.”

Her voice became quieter with every word, as if she was concerned she might’ve said something offensive. Not that Asterius would have particularly cared either way. “I will take you up on your offer,“ Asterius replied, "thank you.”

Here was a nook buried deeply within a section of trees, their branches bent over a trellis so they’d form an arch. It was shady, but Asterius could still easily see the world beyond. He gazed first outwards, observing the sounds and sights of Elysium’s nature; the rush of a waterfall, the songs of birds. Then, again to Dianthus. With her fine clothing and jewelry Asterius might have thought of her as a noblewoman, but her poise was at odds with what he remembered of the few court women he saw in life, with her legs open and her shoulders casually rolled back. “So, what do you think?” she asked, “Is Elysium everything you assumed it would be?” Asterius titled his head. “A shade once told me the trees here grow fruit of gold. A ridiculous story.” “It is ridiculous. If the trees here really bore gold instead of fruit, us shades would have no fresh produce to eat! Or at the very least, no fruit.” she hummed, clearly amused at the story. “The shades here value their ability to indulge in whatever treats they desire! Even Theseus is no exception.” Asterius thought of his time in Erebus, and how a determined Theseus once braved the very depths of the underworld with the sole goal of sharing a basket of fresh bread from one of Elysium’s bakeries. “True,” he sighed. The girl, he noted, did not use Theseus’ title when talking about him. A sign of disrespect coming from others, but the way she spoke implied she’d known him for quite some time, and therefore was simply used to referring to him casually. Still, Asterius struggled to trust his own instincts, and so he asked: “Are you very close to the king?” “Oh! Well, that is… complicated. It isn’t a very interesting story, either.” Uncertainty into her voice, or maybe, she was just shy. Asterius did not want to push her, and yet… “I would be interested,” he admitted. Not knowing how to reassure her, Asterius copied what he saw Theseus do earlier, and took one of her small hands within his own as gently as he could manage. Unlike the king, whose hands were calloused after centuries of battle, hers with soft to the touch. “It’s not very interesting,” she repeated, her voice now softer, “and it is very long. You’d probably get bored listening to me ramble!” I’m interested in listening. I’m interested in you, he wanted to say, but he could not help but feel as if such words would be unwelcome. And so he fell silent, the lady’s hand still held within his own, peacefully watching out over the wide expanse of nature before him. So focused on the peacefulness of the nature before him, he nearly did not hear Theseus calling out “Bull of Minos! My dear maiden! I have returned t— oof!!” Asterius and Dianthus watched as an over excited King Theseus tripped and fell face first on Elysium’s soft grass. Before either could react, he was quick to stand back up, brush off his chiton, and grumble a curse under his breath. Slowly, he continued his way towards them. “Asterius, Dianthus,” he said, out of breath, “I have brought with me a gift!” Theseus lifted the pack he’d brought with himself into Erebus, and slowly loosened the drawstring. When Asterius peered over, he saw that its contents had now been entirely replaced with freshly plucked fruit. “Theseus! If you wanted to pick fruit, you could have asked me to bring a basket.” “Pshaw! Such a thing is unnecessary for one such as myself! And besides, this gift is, eh… rather spur of the moment?” Theseus replied with a huff, “Here, Noble Asterius! This is for you.”

Theseus pressed a fruit into Asterius’ hand, some small red-and-purple berry with a unique texture. He did not eat straight away. Instead he stared at Theseus’ finger tips, dyed purple by the berries. He watched as Theseus, noticing the excess syrup, brought his hand to his mouth to clean. (“Oh, nasty! Go wash your hands in the Lethe or somethin’.” Dianthus huffed, before doing much the same after grabbing a berry of her own.)

The bull eyed the fruit with curiosity-  the same sweet scent that had carried on the wind earlier again filled his senses, but much more intensely this time.

Curious, he first brushed his tongue against the fruit. To his surprise, it was just as tart as it was sweet. The taste reminded him of the way the forest smelled, thick and woody and warmed by the light of Ixion. 

“Do you like it? Mulberries were my mother’s favourite fruit! A large tree of them stood sturdy by my childhood home, so I’ve become an expert at identifying when they are at their ripest and most delicious!" 

"It’s good…" 

"They’re rich in antioxidants, you know.” Dianthus added between handfuls of berries, “Good for your health!” 

“What the hell is an antioxidant,“ Asterius replied.

When Dianthus pouted, Theseus tensed for a moment… then erupted into howling laughter, nearly falling over yet again in the process.

"What’s funny?”

“I apologize, my companion! I was merely surprised to hear you speak in such a way!!”

The king stifled his laughter, covering his mouth with a hand.  “Now, scoot over, my friend!“ "Hmm?” Asterius shifted to the side, but was surprised when Theseus settled between himself and Lady Dianthus, so close that their shoulders were together (or as together as they could be- even while sitting, Asterius was much taller than them both).

Theseus held his berry-filled pack in his lap, their vibrant colours dying the fabric in an array of deep purple-red hues. Each berry was plump and ripe and looked utterly delicious- Asterius couldn’t help but to gather a number of them in his hand, despite the way that they made his fur sticky.

There was something deeply pleasant about this togetherness, Asterius found. He did not have much experience with companionship, and yet he found the warmth of it enchanting. Dianthus continued to scold Theseus for his impulsiveness, but at the very same time plucking fresh fruit from where he held it in his lap, which in turn makes Theseus laugh unflatteringly. It was a strange feeling. He was used to being out of place in the world. He never thought it would be possible for another to look at him as anything other than a monster. But here he’d been shown kindness… He didn’t know if things would be able to last this way, but for now…

He was more than happy to indulge in the new pleasures Elysium had already given him.

~ Authour’s Notes Mulberries are featured in the myth of one of Asterius’ siblings, his baby brother Glaucus… they’re used to solve a riddle regarding something that changes from white to black to red. I have a fic with Glaucus as a character in the works as well :~)

For those who have never played Hades; Asphodel was once an ordinary grassy land, but the river Pheleghton flooded over and into it, turning it into a Lava World. I like to think Theseus came and got Asterius from Erebus before this happened! Also the hydra guards the gate exiting from Asphodel into Elysium (but didn’t bother Theseus because Theseus has “”Special Clearance”” aka the thang just didn’t really see him as much of a threat)

[mazyb0i]

I need advice or help or just some words of encouragement or analysis from other LGBT people please. 💙💚

Tldr; You have to read to understand because it's complicated

Hi guys! You may or may not know me as the super Rick & Morty / Solar Opposites obsessed fan artist but there's more to me than I let on.

I came here because I trust you guys and I wanna know what you all think. I'm Transgender, I identify as demiboy meaning that I'm half non-binary/Agender and half Trans Masculine. This March I turned 18 years old and my doctor gave me my HRT paperwork to look over and bring in signed when I'm ready. I've talked to my therapist about this for over a year, and I questioned my gender identity since I was 12, when I was 6 I never really thought about gender a lot to be honest I did everything under the sun that girls AND boys had done.

Other things to take into consideration is that I'm also diagnosed:

AuDHD (since 16)

Sever Generalized Anxiety Disorder (since 12)

Gender dysphoria (since 16)

Depressive Disorder (since 12).

I've been really adamant about transition since I realized who I was, around 13, it was a long and painstaking journey; full of loss and gain, disorder and chaos, pain and growth, but I made it through to the other side.

Now that I hold these papers in my hands, I'm scared to go through with it, what if I don't like some of the changes? What if people don't see me as who I am? What if I'm not accepted? What if my bullying gets worse? What if I wake up one day and realize all of this was a mistake and I was wrong? Even though it felt so right. I have a lot of dysphoria but I also don't always hate my body, because a lot of the time I see myself as genderless and it only becomes apparent to me that I'm not genderless when someone points it out and calls me "girly", "sissy", "missy", "ma'am", and the such...

Around trans people I feel like I belong, but sometimes I feel like I'm an imposter, what if my brain came up with all of this as a way to try and find a place to fit in because I fit nowhere? I know I'm Pan-demisexual, when I figured that out I never questioned it again. I feel like I roll with the LGBT people but I just feel so much comfort in the trans community.

I don't think I could live happily as a cis-woman. I hate the labels, I hate the pronouns, and if someone were to strip away my skin and all that was left was a white orb I'd say I was a nonbinary male person. I wish I was born the other way, things would have been so much easier, but at the same time I don't want to be a fully cis male if given the chance. I wish there was an in-between option, a lot of times growing up - I had hoped that I was born intersex; hell, I didn't really even know what intersex was, but I still wished it, I wanted it. I wanted to be the third and most rare option because that is who I felt I was. There's this gut-wrenching feeling that I get when I think about having to sign '• female/Woman' on a piece of paper. Because that isn't who I feel I am. But I also feel that what I am is an immovable and unreachable object that no one will ever be able to conceive or understand, and there's no way that I can reflect my understanding on to them.

I'm not going to go in at a very high dose, I know for sure I want top surgery even if my chest doesn't give me as much dysphoria as it did before my breast reduction, and I want to be happier in my skin. I want a deeper voice, I want the other changes that come with it and the only thing I really worry about is not actually being happy when it's all done and through. Not actually being what I am and looking as I am to others as I feel inside...

Anyways that's enough for spilling my guts, I just needed to talk to someone and I'm completely open with all ears if you guys want to share any input in or share any stories, regards, or advice. Honestly I could use people to talk to right now, I feel kind of alone, I feel like no one will understand me; And I don't know if it's just cuz of my autism, or my anxiety,.or if I'm just stuck in my head rn.

[kariokiipeaches]

GAH!

After 5 months of building, my Killer cosplay is finally DONE!

I give you - me!

I Commissioned the hoodie from someone I’ve bought from before - a great seller on Etsy named Simakaihoodies.

I asked about potentially making a Killer hoodie some months after I purchased her Red (UnderFell Sans) hoodie and ended up wearing it nearly everyday for 4 months straight (seen below).

I wanted to make it as close to canon Killer (owned by Rahafwabas) as a could, and she already had a great “faded blue” color cloth around from a previous Dust commission, so we went from there.

After that we went to what I’d like to see for a fur trim in a tan/cream-ish color, and upon not finding floof with the fibers as long as I’d like right away, nor the right shades, the hunt was on.

Some weeks later she stumbled upon the perfect option and was quick to sew it up and send it out.

It was STUPID HARD to find white basketball draw-string shorts with a thick black line down the sides WITH NOTHING ELSE ON IT.

I wanted NO other colors, NO designs, NO trim, NO mesh-y type holes, NO piping, NO huge logo, NO fancy stitching.

Plain.

White with black.

Shorts.

After a couple months I found em.

I ordered a pair of leather fingerless gloves, they didn’t fit, wrinkled awkwardly, so I tossed ‘em.

I went to the children’s section of the dollar store, bought a pack of knit gloves, and cut the tips off - perfect length!

Finding the right-shade-of-blue high-top canvas Converse in my size was NEAR IMPOSSIBLE too.

Either it was too expensive in pristine condition (which I DIDNT want), or leather (which I don’t think he’d wear), or the wrong size (my size is popular apparently so everything instantly sold), or was a flat-out wrong shade of blue.

C’mon, Killer wouldn’t care if his shoes are clean or not… his shoes would be beat-the-fuck-out, so I needed WORN ones.

I didn’t want to deal with stiff canvas.

I was probably gonna leave the laces untied to drag on the ground, so I didn’t care if they were clean or not.

I didn’t care about stains or scuffs.

BUT! They HAD to nearly match the faded blue of the hoodie - the canon Rahafwabas art shows they’re a similar color. One CANT be too much darker or lighter than the other.

After a couple months of searching, I found someone who LOVED their Converse enough to actually USE them before selling, AND they were the right shade.

I got ‘em for $16!

So Killers socks are slouchy, right?

All the Sanses socks are.

So I had to stretch mine out.

Apple juice bottle came in handy for that.

Incase you were wondering why that photo was in the collage up there, lol.

The SOUL!

The SOUL.

Killers target-shaped SOUL is a fuckin tap-light with 8 layers of cellophane glued on it.

THAT BITCH stressed me the fuck out building.

I TRIED to commission someone to make one.

Messaged a TON of people on Etsy about it, but no one could or would (some people said they were too busy cuz it was the Christmas season).

So I decided I had to make it myself.

Only I had to find the right-shade-of-red cellophane.

And I couldn’t just buy a single large sheet like I wanted. Stores (even online) only sell a massive pack.

So I just hung-out til it was the first week of February and stole some squares out of a Valentines Day decoration.

Hey - it worked, right?

It’s EIGHT. FUCKING. LAYERS.

To get this shade of red.

Exacto Knives, acetone, 3 special kinds of glue, and HOURS of tracing circular objects in my home, and it’s as good as I could get it for a first attempt.

I lucked-out when it came to the brightness of the damn tap-light. I NEEDED the light to be visible enough to tell it was on even in daylight (cuz, DUH, Killers SOUL always glows; not just in the dark!).

Mystique @lady-of-disdain helped A LOT on deciding some things when I couldn’t figure out a best option on my own. Her Killer knowledge and tastes match my own, so when stumped I chatted her up - this would have taken longer without her input.

So THANKS MYS *waves*

So it’s done, right?!

WRONG.

I need it to fuckin’ snow so I can take some damn pics.

BUT IT SNOWED YESTERDAY!!! Well. For a little bit.

So here I/he am/is!

It’s gonna snow again tomorrow, so I’m hooking up my camera remote to take better pictures - my tiny tripod with the camera timer was a fail, lol. That leaning pic came out way worse than anticipated, and that wrinkle-lump at the neck of the hood is really unbecoming in the chair photo. I’ll get some better ones this time and make a new post.

GO check out Simakaishoodies! Buy some Undertale! Buy some Delta Rune! Give her all the support and all your money!

And check out her Tumblr @simakai !!!

My next piece I commission will either be Mutt’s floor-length hoodie/duster from Fellswap (which is gonna be heavy as FUCK with all that fabric), or a Horror Sans hoodie (but I gotta find an effects-blood that won’t wash out, and study blood-spatter patterns and test ‘em out before I go and mark up any commissioned piece. Maybe I’ll use a real axe for the pattern to look legit, who knows).

In the meantime I’ll be work on completing Red’s outfit.

I still need a LOT for that guy, and finding the right-shade-of-yellow socks that will match the black shorts with yellow stripe, that’ll ALSO match the yellow in the hoodie is gonna be a headache.

Wish me luck!

[nitewrighter]

Cassidy: *reading* ...Hey Echo?

Echo: Mm?

Cassidy: *glances up from book* Do you think you’re... superior to people--like, humans?

Echo: Why would I think that?

Cassidy: I mean, y’know, you fly, and transform, and... you have all them lasers and whatnot. Humans can’t do any of that.

Echo: Well yes, but there’s a lot of things humans can do that I can’t. Eat, drink, sweat, defecate...

Cassidy: Okay, but eatin’ and shittin’ ain’t the same as flying and shooting lasers.

Echo: In that case I would say you aren’t defining ‘superiority’ very well. 

Cassidy: It’s just I’ve been readin’ this book--

Echo: *leaning over his shoulder* Asimov?

Cassidy: And--look I did try to read some of the stuff Liao recommended a long while back, but it was really hard, so I figured, ‘go old school, back to basics.’ Pre-crisis stuff. And like... so basically they have these three laws of robotics “Thou Shalt Not Harm Humans” and stuff--which I know, Crisis means those are already out the window--

Echo: *patient nod*

Cassidy: It’s just, this guy keeps talkin’ about how the robots need the three laws, because they already figure they’re superior to humans what with having powerful robot bodies and positronic brains, you know?

Echo: I don’t have a ‘positronic brain,’ Cole.

Cassidy: yeah, I know, speculation and all that... it’s just... what do you see us as? 

Echo: *brightly* I see you as my friend!

Cassidy: *huff* Walked right into that one. 

Echo: *floating down to a seated position next to Cole* Do I scare you, Cole?

Cassidy: No! I mean, y’know I’m as scared as anyone should be around lasers, reasonably! I-I’m trying to understand things, is all. The Crisis, what Liao wanted, if the world is ready for what Liao wanted, you, and... where the hell I’m supposed to fit into all this. 

Echo: I see. *pause* I don’t really know what prompted the Crisis to begin with. But I do think that ultimately, Omnics and AI’s are a reflection of humanity. A learning algorithm alone is just a set of adaptable instructions, but it can very easily express the same hatred and prejudices humanity displays with the right, or in this case, obviously wrong inputs. I suppose to give Asimov his credit, robots made with 1950′s attitudes might be more preoccupied with notions of inherent superiority.

Cassidy: *slowly*...but it’s not because they’re not like humans, it’s because they are like humans.

Echo: *smiles* Now you’re sounding like Dr. Liao.

Cassidy: Really? ‘Cuz it feels like my brains are soup right now.

[kingsbride-moved]

Dance of Our Nature (1/2)

Summary: Theseus, former King of Athens, brings Asterius to the blessed fields. While there, he meets someone very dear to the king. Notes: Originally a fic about Theseus n Asterius I scrapped due to it feeling too aimless </3 I took my favourite chapter and reworked it so I could put Dianthus in it too :~) I didn't do any major edits cuz I'm kind of tired of working on this so be nice.... There's some background info established in the sort of "prequel" fic to this, but I'm not sure if I want to link it here... but it shouldn't too hard to understand without that context. ~2878 words. Contains Theseus fishing for compliments and being generally so cringe and fail, awkward first interactions, fruit eating, and Asterius trying to remember that he's just as much as a man as he is a bull. No particular warnings as far as I can think, but Theseus and Asterius do have a little bit of an unbalanced dynamic so early on into their relationship. They'll work on it as time goes on, of course! 🎵: Cicada | Here We Are!

Theseus was not what the Minotaur would have expected a king to be like. Some of the traits he remembered from his short time spent on the surface were there: Theseus was imposing when he wanted to be, his voice could fill a room, and despite his small height the way he presented himself made him seem almost god-like in stature. He was the king who unified Athens, famed for being fair and honorable even to those who too had been cursed by gods. Such nobility could only be afforded to one such as himself, who was scholar, leader, and warrior alike. 

Despite all this, Asterius realized that Theseus was still only human. And because he was only human, Theseus was also clumsy, teetering on the side of accident prone: several times now he had managed to fall over nothing, or nearly trip (again!)  into one of the underworld’s many river branches, or even get distracted by his own dramatic speeches and end up walking face first into a pillar. (Theseus attempted with great gusto to pretend that he intentionally smashed his face in, so that the bull may watch as he seductively wiped away the blood from his injury.  Unfortunately for the king he was wincing in pain all the while, and instead looked more silly than anything else.) Asterius also noticed how Theseus struggled to focus on anything other than what interested him at the moment. What interested him right now was Asterius himself, and seemingly only that, for each time the bull spoke in an attempt to direct Theseus’ attention elsewhere it took the king some time to even realize that something had been said, and even then his reply would be short and distracted.  Immediately after he finished talking he would return to simply gazing at Asterius’ face with some unidentifiable emotion, or stroking his large biceps with a curious hand. When he did wish to talk, however, Theseus could easily hold entire conversations by himself. It was charming in its own way, and only slightly grating. “...And that is why I despise my cousin Menetheus!” Theseus finished his story with a grand gesture, exasperation clear in his voice. Asterius paid close attention, half out of genuine curiosity, and half out of having nothing better to do. “Such an insufferable cur was undeserving of the title of king! Don’t you agree, Dear Asterius?”

Asterius nodded in response. He'd not spoken much during the duration of this journey— he wasn't quite sure what to say in this strange situation he'd somehow ended up in, and the king already spoke so much on his own. It felt almost unnecessary to make any further additions…

Still, Theseus gave him an almost expectant look just now, as if he were waiting for input. 

"You were… much better suited for the role than he." said Asterius with uncertainty. He did not have much experience with complimenting people, and that was clearly what Theseus’ sought.  “You were Athens’ greatest king, certainly.”

Despite his stunted words, Theseus still beamed brightly with a smile, and gave Asterius’ hand a tight squeeze. “How kind of you to say, my friend! And I must say I agree! There is none other than myself who is more suited for the role of— ah, hold a moment. I believe we have reached our destination! And here I’d been expecting more of a challenge in reaching our shared goal! Bah!” “Yes,” Asterius agreed, neglecting to bring up how the many ways Theseus accidentally hurt himself during their journey together were certainly a challenge in their own right. Together they stood before a large gate, its metal slightly browned with age. Asterius could swear there was something massive swimming beneath the water nearby, but Theseus seemed not to be concerned by it, and so Asterius would choose to ignore it as well. When met with Theseus’ touch, the gate lifted with a groan, allowing them both to enter a small rest area. Asterius took a moment to brush ash out of his fur; how strange that, despite Asphodel being a land of clear waters and ordinary scruffy grass, embers floated in the air. Once he’d finished, he found Theseus waiting at the other end of the corridor, waiting patiently to be rejoined by his companion. (Or rather, as patiently as he was capable of. While he made no push to rush Asterius, his casually leaning against the door did not make the tapping of his foot go unnoticed.) “Are you ready, Asterius? Here is where your new life shall begin! You shall finally have a chance to live as a prince should! Aha, such a thing must be nerve-wracking for you. But fear not, my friend! I shall support you every step of the way!” Asterius snorted in response; he was beginning to realize Theseus had a habit of announcing his own emotions, but would never attribute them to himself. The king was surely nervous, but it was much easier to say that Asterius was the nervous one. But the bull saw no reason to complain about such a thing, and thus did not mention it. He wouldn’t have had time to regardless, not with Theseus opening the final gate, and the blessed fields being within reach.

"Here we are!” To Asterius’ surprise, the gate opened to a small copse of trees.  Theseus stepped out first, fallen leaves crunching beneath his feet. “There is someone here expecting us! Let us not keep her waiting for longer than we already have, yes?”

Asterius in turn poked his head out… The breeze was the first thing he noticed, cool and refreshing, gentle against his fur. Then, the scent… fresh and green, but also slightly sweet, like fruit being carried on the wind. He felt nearly enticed to follow the direction of it. 

He stepped out behind Theseus, and was nearly startled at the sound of twigs and dried leaves being crushed beneath his weight. The sound was foreign to him… could he be blamed if he wanted to kick his legs against the ground, and see what other interesting noises could be made?

Soon, Asterius allowed the strange king to gently guide him forward. It took both of Theseus' hands to be able to fully wrap around one of the bull's wrists… it was strange realizing that the man who stood so large within his memory was so small in reality. It was strange to be continuing on in silence, but Asterius was certain that even if Theseus had spoken, he would not have heard him. The new sights and sounds around him were too much of a distraction, nearly to the point of making him dizzy. “Now, where could she be… ah!” Across the distant fields, Asterius could just barely make out a woman decked out in bright pink, sitting upon a marble bench beneath a flower-covered trellis. She seemed to notice them first, and stood. Upon seeing this, Theseus released Asterius’ hand, and bounded down to meet with her. “Ah, my lady! How I’ve missed you!” (At this distance it should have been difficult to make out the king’s words. But Asterius’ hearing was very good, and Theseus himself was very, very loud.) “I told you I would return, did I not? Let this be a lesson to you, my lady, that I am a man of my words!” Asterius watched as Theseus lifted the girl into his arms with ease, and she erupted into warm laughter in response. He kissed against her jaw once, then again, then against her cheek, and soon the girl’s laughter turned to squealing. Asterius’ chest felt tight at their affection— he didn’t know why. “Asterius, dear bull!” Though reluctant, he returned the girl to her feet, but not before giving her a final kiss upon her forehead.  “I would like you to meet Lady Dianthus of Oenoe, my… erm. Ahem. A-anyways! It was with her help that I was able to bring you here to the blessed fields. You must be curious as to how that happened, hmm? Allow me to start from the beginning! Some great many years ago, I…” “Theseus, I don’t imagine your bull-friend would want to hear about that right now! He’s probably tired, and you should be too! Besides, I didn’t do anything that impressive…” the girl waved her hand dismissively, causing Theseus to gasp rather dramatically. “Ah, my lady is far too modest! To reason with the gods themselves is impressive indeed.” Theseus squeezed the girl's hand. For a moment, his typical cocky expression faded into something warm and soft. He brought her hand up to his lips, for a kiss. “And you have done both Asterius, and myself, a great kindness.” The girl pouted in an almost childish fashion, though her cheeks did darken at Theseus’ gesture. Instead of trying to further combat the king’s words, she turned her attention elsewhere. “It is… nice to meet you, Asterius.” Her voice was soft, but did not hold the nervousness Asterius would have expected from one who was laying eyes upon The Minotaur for the first time. Asterius nodded. 

"Now, let us celebrate this victory! Asterius, my dear friend, stay here a moment with the lady. I shall return quicker than any bolt of Zeus!" Theseus rushed off before either could ask just what it was he intended to do, though Asterius had an inkling it would be something indulgent, as the king seemed to value pleasure above all else. He turned his attention to the girl before him. She was small, Asterius noted, but not much smaller than the king himself. Her long hair was covered in a variety of spring flowers and green vines, connecting to a halo of fresh fruit. He watched closely as the small bud of a flower bloomed open, just as another near it took its final breath, and fell to the ground below. He supposed she was like his mother in that regard; a nymph, but only in part. “Asterius…?” The bull nearly jolted, suddenly hearing his name. He had been starring, he now realized, though he hadn’t intended to. “You seem awfully meek for someone of your reputation, you know. Ah, but that’s not what I wanted to say… what I mean is, you don’t need to be just standing there. Come sit next to me- if you'd like to, that is.”

Her voice became quieter with every word, as if she was concerned she might've said something offensive. Not that Asterius would have particularly cared either way. “I will take you up on your offer," Asterius replied, "thank you."

Here was a nook buried deeply within a section of trees, their branches bent over a trellis so they'd form an arch. It was shady, but Asterius could still easily see the world beyond. He gazed first outwards, observing the sounds and sights of Elysium’s nature; the rush of a waterfall, the songs of birds. Then, again to Dianthus. With her fine clothing and jewelry Asterius might have thought of her as a noblewoman, but her poise was at odds with what he remembered of the few court women he saw in life, with her legs open and her shoulders casually rolled back. “So, what do you think?” she asked, “Is Elysium everything you assumed it would be?” Asterius titled his head. “A shade once told me the trees here grow fruit of gold. A ridiculous story.” “It is ridiculous. If the trees here really bore gold instead of fruit, us shades would have no fresh produce to eat! Or at the very least, no fruit.” she hummed, clearly amused at the story. “The shades here value their ability to indulge in whatever treats they desire! Even Theseus is no exception.” Asterius thought of his time in Erebus, and how a determined Theseus once braved the very depths of the underworld with the sole goal of sharing a basket of fresh bread from one of Elysium’s bakeries. “True,” he sighed. The girl, he noted, did not use Theseus’ title when talking about him. A sign of disrespect coming from others, but the way she spoke implied she’d known him for quite some time, and therefore was simply used to referring to him casually. Still, Asterius struggled to trust his own instincts, and so he asked: “Are you very close to the king?” “Oh! Well, that is… complicated. It isn’t a very interesting story, either.” Uncertainty into her voice, or maybe, she was just shy. Asterius did not want to push her, and yet… “I would be interested,” he admitted. Not knowing how to reassure her, Asterius copied what he saw Theseus do earlier, and took one of her small hands within his own as gently as he could manage. Unlike the king, whose hands were calloused after centuries of battle, hers with soft to the touch. “It’s not very interesting,” she repeated, her voice now softer, “and it is very long. You’d probably get bored listening to me ramble!” I’m interested in listening. I’m interested in you, he wanted to say, but he could not help but feel as if such words would be unwelcome. And so he fell silent, the lady’s hand still held within his own, peacefully watching out over the wide expanse of nature before him. So focused on the peacefulness of the nature before him, he nearly did not hear Theseus calling out “Bull of Minos! My dear maiden! I have returned t— oof!!” Asterius and Dianthus watched as an over excited King Theseus tripped and fell face first on Elysium’s soft grass. Before either could react, he was quick to stand back up, brush off his chiton, and grumble a curse under his breath. Slowly, he continued his way towards them. “Asterius, Dianthus,” he said, out of breath, “I have brought with me a gift!” Theseus lifted the pack he’d brought with himself into Erebus, and slowly loosened the drawstring. When Asterius peered over, he saw that its contents had now been entirely replaced with freshly plucked fruit. “Theseus! If you wanted to pick fruit, you could have asked me to bring a basket.” “Pshaw! Such a thing is unnecessary for one such as myself! And besides, this gift is, eh… rather spur of the moment?” Theseus replied with a huff, “Here, Noble Asterius! This is for you.”

Theseus pressed a fruit into Asterius' hand, some small red-and-purple berry with a unique texture. He did not eat straight away. Instead he stared at Theseus’ finger tips, dyed purple by the berries. He watched as Theseus, noticing the excess syrup, brought his hand to his mouth to clean. (“Oh, nasty! Go wash your hands in the Lethe or somethin'.” Dianthus huffed, before doing much the same after grabbing a berry of her own.)

The bull eyed the fruit with curiosity-  the same sweet scent that had carried on the wind earlier again filled his senses, but much more intensely this time.

Curious, he first brushed his tongue against the fruit. To his surprise, it was just as tart as it was sweet. The taste reminded him of the way the forest smelled, thick and woody and warmed by the light of Ixion. 

"Do you like it? Mulberries were my mother's favourite fruit! A large tree of them stood sturdy by my childhood home, so I've become an expert at identifying when they are at their ripest and most delicious!" 

"It's good..." 

"They're rich in antioxidants, you know." Dianthus added between handfuls of berries, “Good for your health!” 

“What the hell is an antioxidant," Asterius replied.

When Dianthus pouted, Theseus tensed for a moment… then erupted into howling laughter, nearly falling over yet again in the process.

"What's funny?"

"I apologize, my companion! I was merely surprised to hear you speak in such a way!!"

The king stifled his laughter, covering his mouth with a hand.  “Now, scoot over, my friend!" "Hmm?" Asterius shifted to the side, but was surprised when Theseus settled between himself and Lady Dianthus, so close that their shoulders were together (or as together as they could be- even while sitting, Asterius was much taller than them both).

Theseus held his berry-filled pack in his lap, their vibrant colours dying the fabric in an array of deep purple-red hues. Each berry was plump and ripe and looked utterly delicious- Asterius couldn't help but to gather a number of them in his hand, despite the way that they made his fur sticky.

There was something deeply pleasant about this togetherness, Asterius found. He did not have much experience with companionship, and yet he found the warmth of it enchanting. Dianthus continued to scold Theseus for his impulsiveness, but at the very same time plucking fresh fruit from where he held it in his lap, which in turn makes Theseus laugh unflatteringly. It was a strange feeling. He was used to being out of place in the world. He never thought it would be possible for another to look at him as anything other than a monster. But here he’d been shown kindness… He didn’t know if things would be able to last this way, but for now…

He was more than happy to indulge in the new pleasures Elysium had already given him.

~ Authour's Notes Mulberries are featured in the myth of one of Asterius' siblings, his baby brother Glaucus… they're used to solve a riddle regarding something that changes from white to black to red. I have a fic with Glaucus as a character in the works as well :~)

For those who have never played Hades; Asphodel was once an ordinary grassy land, but the river Pheleghton flooded over and into it, turning it into a Lava World. I like to think Theseus came and got Asterius from Erebus before this happened! Also the hydra guards the gate exiting from Asphodel into Elysium (but didn’t bother Theseus because Theseus has “”Special Clearance”” aka the thang just didn't really see him as much of a threat)

[danpuff-ao3]

Embroidery Commission

I was going to do a longer introduction but really I can't tease the people like that. That would be quite rude of me!

This, my friends, is the gorgeous embroidery hoop I commissioned from @onbeinganangel!!!!

Okay you have the goods now, read ahead if you're ready for Danni babbling.

Yesterday morning, I got an email from our apartment's Amazon hub that I had a package ready for pickup. And since I knew exactly what it was, I was annoyed (cuz it's early and I'm at work and I have to wait) and excited (cuz MY HOOP!!!!!)

After work, I rushed home, ran to the hub, grabbed my treasure, and pranced back to my apartment. You know, carefully. I wasn't sure how delicate I needed to be and I was risking this hoop for nothing!

Above pictures is what I found inside the box. My hoop carefully and beautifully wrapped in tissue, and a sweet note!

And if you know me at all, you'll know I was too excited to rip right into it. I don't know if anyone else deals with this, but my excitement levels get so high I just don't know what to do with myself! Have to smile and shriek and dance a bit. Shake out all those nerves! Breathe a bit (because oxygen is important.) (That's what I'm told anyway.)

Once I had my wits about me, I very carefully peeled back the tissue and beheld my beautiful hoop!

And started crying, of course.

(If you know me at all, that won't surprise you, either.) (Overactive tear ducts, I swear to Merlin.) (Or maybe that's just me being overemotional...either way 🤷‍♀️)

It was in early November that I reached out to Mari. She had posted about making sure she could get commissions done in time for Christmas, and while I didn't need anything by Christmas, it did prompt me to think "hey...maybe I could commission something!"

If you've not seen Mari's embroidery, you should definitely check it all out! (Conveniently: click here.) Her work is gorgeous, and it's extra special to have another craft used for fandom purposes! Fan writing? Great! Fan art? Great! Fic binding? Oh cool! Fan embroidery???? Oh god I'm in love. (Also Mari writes, so here's her AO3.) (We have to stan a multi-talented queen.)

I was a wee bit nervous, because I've always been hesitant to ask about commissions from people who I don't know are okay with Snarry. My OTP is so controversial to others, but so beloved to me, and so I rarely reach out, but...I don't know. I couldn't help it! It seemed like too cool an opportunity to not try for, and Mari seemed so sweet so I figured if she let me down, she'd do so gently!

...because obviously I'm going to commission Snarry things. Much as I love other ships, if I'm spending my hard earned money, it's going to be Snarry. 😍

As you can see: it was not a problem!

What I most wanted was a piece for my pride and joy, Contempt. I wiffle-waffled a bit. I thought Orange Blossoms might have better imagery for embroidery, but I already had a fanart done for Orange Blossoms, and while more is more...I really, really in my heart needed a physical representation of my beloved Contempt.

I felt a bit bad about the timing and assured her I didn't need it by Christmas and to prioritize Christmas projects (even though I was quite eager for this!) Like: "I saw your post about Christmas commissions but...this is not for Christmas!" Anyway between the Snarry worries and timing guilt and my anxiety...that should tell you how much I wanted this piece! And let me tell you, it was worth fighting anxiety for!!

The other tricky part of commissions is me trying to give creators an idea to work with, while also stressing that I value their creative input more than my own vision. Everyone is different; more details are useful for some while others enjoy the creative freedom more. (So of course I fretted about that, too.) But generally I am drawn to creators for their own skill and creativity and want as much of themselves in there as possible! I have so much respect and admiration for other creators!! And why I want so dearly to support them however I can! (And to also selfishly benefit from it, not gonna lie.) (Look at this thing!)

What I gave Mari to work with were primarily the quotes. Both are spoken by Harry in the work, though in separate portions of the fic. I wasn't sure how weird that would be, but I don't know...they go so well together and really sort of sum the whole story up! My ultimate love/hate endeavor!

As for the imagery, I had suggestions for that, too: the door to Snape's quarters have "serpents entwined with ivy and dahlias" and there are moments in the story where other flowers are given, those being white gardenias and forget-me-nots. Between my personal love of flowers and animals, as well as my great love for symbolism, and the role they all play in the story...well, I'm glad they all fit in! (Also, Mari is a champ for listening to all my rambling about symbolism and vibes haha!)

From one of our email exchanges, I mentioned: "It's a very stark, intense story. A bit brutal. Lots of shame. Riding that line between love and hate. That's another part of why I like nature imagery; all of the beauty and brutality of the world around us." And I feel like it came through! It feels very simple and natural. It looks a bit like fallen, fragile flowers and a snake slithering along, a sort of unsuspecting seduction. (Sorry, I sure love to read into things!)

Honestly, Mari was such a joy to work with. She has such a good eye for design and color! And such clear skill. She was easy to talk to, happy to communicate, and best of all so kind and patient and sweet! And in the end, she crafted something truly priceless.

Contempt is truly the story of my soul. (If you follow me, you're probably tired of hearing about it LOL.) The concept has lived with me for so long. Writing it was a true labor of love. Having this piece of it to hang on my wall is genuinely so meaningful. I cried when I first saw the finished product (via email) and cried again when I had it in hand. And again when I hung it on my wall.

It's not in its final spot just yet. A few inches to the right (not pictured) is a Hogwarts plaque that I plan to move to another wall this weekend, so I can move the hoop a bit to the right. But I was much too eager to share this to wait until the weekend! But this should still give you an idea of what my Snarry wall looks like, and will more or less look like after the shift. (The art beside the hoop is the Orange Blossoms art mentioned earlier, by LuEndland!)

Mari, thank you so much again for working with me and creating this truly precious hoop! Also: feel free to make your own post if you like, one with less word vomit haha! You are a true angel, I hope you know!!

To everyone else: if you've been thinking of commissioning an embroidery hoop...for sure do it!!!! 10/10 do recommend.

Also please expect more photo dumps once my work space is all set up!!

[stranger-rants]

Hey👋🏿 I’m just copying and pasting a post I tagged you in because I’ve seen this topic get brought up in the Billy fandom a lot recently and I’m breaking my brain trying to understand where people are coming and thought your input might help me better understand if u don’t mind sharing any of your spicy takes? From other post of ur I know redemption arc make uncomfortable as well. Which I respect I guess I just don’t know why that would be for some so I’m asking. Might also help become more critical of redemption narratives cuz I right now love a good redemption.

Being genuine I thought redemption and recovery were like synonymous terms? I guess I have seen redemption used in a way that can be weird but idk

Tagging @stranger-rants cuz I’ve seen them bring this up too and maybe they don’t mind responding to my question. I want to understand in good faith where other people are coming from when they feel hesitant about redemption arcs I like thinking of characters being redeemed or even myself being redeemed. So I think I’m just genuinely overlooking points being made cuz I just don’t understand what other people mean in fandom cuz redemption looks different to me ig. It’s about wanting/ desiring to get healthier what ever that may look like for a given situation (that’s how I currently understand it but either way I find it’s important to understand what common consensus is how other people understand it? Cuz if not u know miscommunication)

I think this largely depends on how “redemption” and “recovery” are defined.

Redemption is primarily a religious term that has been taken out of its context and applied to other things much like other religious terms (e.g. “canon”). Redemption can be the act of saving someone from sin or the act of being saved from sin. For example, we could say “this [insert entity] redeemed them” or “saved them” or “they were redeemed” or “saved” from sin - sin is the key word. When this term is applied outside of a religious context, the implication of “sin” often remains. So, when people argue over whether or not Billy deserves “redemption,” it’s more so about whether or not he can be saved from his “sins” or past wrongdoing. Did his death redeem him? They argue over and over. (That’s also where we get the “Billy is an accidental Jesus figure” meta, as his death arguably redeems him and in fact results in the “salvation” of the town, but I digress). While we can use the word redemption to talk about how antagonistic characters can “change,” I am personally uncomfortable with some of the connotations of this word as they are applied to people who did harm while their agency was compromised or they were under duress, even if they made the “choice” to say and do hurtful things. The reason being is that it forces the individual to view themselves as a sinner who needs to be saved in order to avoid eternal damnation which is an extremely Catholic viewpoint that I know can do more harm than good (citation: My family is Catholic.)

I want to introduce a different word than redemption: restoration. We use this term in “restorative justice” to talk about ways harm (not sin) can be undone or repaired. Restorative justice is a voluntary process that the victims or targets of harm and the perpetrators of harm undergo to restore relationships and/or provide opportunity for personal growth and healing. The aim is not to eternally punish someone, but rather to recognize that harm was done and hold perpetrators accountable not just through the courts or prison or the threat of eternal punishment by a divine power. Billy is a teenager. He did some genuinely hurtful things to Max and to Lucas. Any of those things could have easily been resolved through counseling and restorative circles. Nothing he did was so egregious that it would be impossible for them to sit down and talk with a trained mediator. All of this could happen effectively if Billy was removed from his abuser’s house and given time to recover* from his trauma enough to be able to reflect on what he did while he was surviving. The whole thing would help him to process everything much better without feeling a crushing amount of guilt and shame that might not help him be a “better” person at all. I mean, look what Vecna did to all those traumatized kids. That’s just a reflection of how a punitive mindset can prevent healing and perpetuate rather than stop the harm.

*Recovery is about the individual, so I don’t particularly view it as synonymous with redemption or restoration. Instead, it could be considered as something that occurs parallel to those things. For me personally, I think recovery is less effective when it is done in the context of “redemption” depending on how people define “redemption.” If redemption is based on a single act (i.e. Billy “dying” for his right to be saved from his “sins”), then okay… maybe recovery could have happened had he actually lived, because that would involve the people around him accepting that his single selfless act supersedes any harm he did to anyone at any time and they’re more likely to support his recovery journey healing from his trauma. However, people often treat redemption like a “character arc.” It’s a long process that the character has to go through in order to prove they’ve been “washed clean” from their “sin.” I don’t think this helps with healing or recovery at all. Instead, it traps people within cycles of guilt and shame that can do more mental and physical harm. Allowing people the time to mentally and physically recover by addressing their mental and physical trauma through medical care and mental health care is more important to me, and it’s more beneficial to the long term healing of the community that they may have had a harmful impact on while they were just surviving.

Side note: I’m from Upstate NY, which is on Haudenosaunee land. There’s a story that I think illustrates this concept of recovery and restoration well. It’s the story of Tadadaho. This story is interesting because it’s not influenced by “western” European concepts of good and evil, nor influenced by Catholic concepts of sin. I would recommend anyone to read about it.

[hurricanrxna]

hello everyone!! welcome to the prologue of my new fanfic series featuring the miz and my original character dani! this idea has blossomed into my little labor of love recently and marries so many of my favorite things into a super mushy and emotional little package. I've been wanting to write a proper multi-chapter fic for such a long time, but the pressure of putting out really long chapters has always scared me off. recently though I decided to just bite the bullet because I was so inspired by this; screw my own internal pressure! 😂 so! here I am! each chapter will be accompanied by a short synopsis plus links to previous chapters and the master list!. for questions about the story or input or anything at all, please don't hesitate to send 'em in through my asks! I would love to hear all of your feedback ❤️

synopsis : every dream started somewhere. some just so happened to begin in a low-income apartment in California in 2002, where two people looked up at their grungy ceiling and dared to believe that together they could go farther than they had ever imagined. find the full story synopsis & masterlist here!

"Babe? You think I packed enough socks? 'Cuz I know I got fifteen pairs already but you never know." The chaotic sounds of clothes rustling and all manner of objects hitting the nearby dresser could be heard from the teeny half-kitchen just a few steps away, comically punctuating his words.

"Fifteen pairs, Mike?! You're going to orientation for two days not Mount Everest!" Dani shouted back with an unmistakable smile that seemed to melt into her voice. Though she was focused on the food in front of her, she was mostly just soaking in the moment to make sure she kept it slotted away in her mind forever.

Maybe part of it was because Dani knew that this was a turning point; something in her heart told her that.

When Mike had a dream and had a mission, he worked at it day and night until he didn't just earn it, he owned it. It's how he had gotten his shot in reality television, in front of the cameras where she knew he belonged. And while his time in television like that had been fun for both of them, it wasn't where his story was going to end. Dani knew that in her heart too.

Dani was there when Mike had decided to become a WWE wrestler. Like any other lost twenty-something, he was at a crossroads. And yet the path had opened up to him so easily, and it all took off from there. It was all moving so quickly, in fact, that Dani felt as though she was caught in a whirlwind. It was more enjoyable than anything, but she just hoped that she could hold on tight enough to stay on the ground by the end of it.

"Yeah, but you know how I am! Things just disappear around me sometimes; I swear I put something down here, then it's gone!" Mike's voice whisked Dani back to the present, thankfully just in time for her to rescue the mac and cheese. "Imagine the horror of me walking out there, first day of training, with one sock on."

"As if you wouldn't find a way to make that your gimmick or something," Dani cocked an eyebrow his way as she watched him saunter out of their bedroom, his hair still tightly gelled. "I think 'The Sockless Wonder' would get over great. I'd buy the t-shirt!"

Mike rolled his eyes in an attempt to seem unamused, though the huge grin that tugged at his lips gave it all away. A few steps more and he was standing closely behind Dani at the stove, wrapping his arms around her gently and pulling ever so slightly to ease her away from the tempting boxed meal.

"I'm allowed to steal that idea, right? Without crediting you at all? 'Cuz I'm gonna need the money." He chuckled as he rested his chin on her shoulder, kissing her jaw softly. Dani, never able to resist his charms even on the best of days, relented and leaned back a bit with a content sigh. The food would still be there when they got back, anyway.

"You credit me or I sue you, Mizanin. And where we're going, you'll be dealing with my very expensive and very morally dubious lawyers!" Mike let out a big laugh and in one smooth movement, grabbed Dani by the waist and pulled her onto the plush (discounted from a garage sale) fluffy rug below them. For a second he tickled her as revenge before laying down beside her, their fingers intertwined.

It was silent for a few minutes, so much so that Dani could feel her heart beating in her chest. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were standing on the precipice of something, a new beginning that she hadn't believed was possible. Both of them had grown up in small towns with the promise that they would live their lives just as their parents had. Dani had become content with that idea; Mike hadn't. His drive to be something greater than what anyone had thought he could accomplish was what Dani owed her ambition to.

"You feel that too?"

"Yeah. It's a lot."

"Scary?"

"No, not really. Not with you here." Mike turned to Dani and, for as long as she'd live, gave her a smile she'd never forget that she swore could end wars and bring about world peace. Okay, maybe that was a little dramatic. But it was still a smile she'd replay countless times over in her head for years. It said more than just excitement. More than just anticipation. It was a promise.

He then pointed to the ceiling with confidence and a goofy expression that made her laugh, almost like he was about to perform. "'Cuz when you see me come down that ramp one day, with the fireworks and the pyro and the crowd screaming, I'm not gonna be afraid of anything and you know why?" Mike leaned in closer to her as he waited for her response, making her chuckle.

"Why?"

"Because I'll have you there, right by my side. Because I'll know that I got to where I am because you never gave up on me. When everyone else didn't see me, you did. And I'll spend the rest of my life thanking you for that." Dani's breath hitched and she knew her next words were going to be all wonky and choked up while she tried to fight off tears.

If there was only a way to show him how much he meant to her, to show him that she loved him beyond any words she could speak.

"Then that's where I'll stay," she finally said, sniffling as she took his arm and held him as close as she could to her. "Right here next to you."

[midnightmah07]

Could you maybe sum up what you understand of Poppy and her personality cuz i think I made her too complex-

So I want outside input 😭

Okie lemme see

Poppy is a kind and cheerful girl who has a childish like personality due to not properly growing up emotionally because of her trauma of seeing her mother die right in front of her. She really admires Isabelle and Daisy and has good relationships with everyone from her dorm, often being dotted by them because of how cute she is — this is my personal input bc I adore her. She's been childhood friends with Epel and Charley, and Epel's got a crush on her ever since they were young; her unique magic makes people have a sense of sympathy towards her that makes them willingly want to help her and take care of her, but due to its "manipulative" nature Poppy doesn't use it much.

[the-meme-monarch]

I hvn't checked on ur blog in a while so if you really got a transphobic ask than fuck whoever did that > :<

but I do want to input that as far as shipping goes: I'd imagine it's cuz sometimes your posts come off as "headcanon police"y and could easily be interpreted as "hate" themselves, I think maybe some tone indicators or "rant" disclaimer would help a lot (assuming the hate asks do have backbone and aren't just people being rude and mad for the sack of being rude and mad) I'm really sorry if this ask reads as passive aggressive, I don't intend it to be. I just remember feeling that your post about "why do people portray sweet as jaded" was phrased kinda aggressively, like complaining about "mischaracterization" thats actually just "not characterized by your interpretation, like I feel the best thing about scc is how much was left for intepreatation and thus how creative and varied but still have the same vibe fanworks of them have, so seeing posts looking down on these creative works from a very creative an amazing artist felt a little odd: but I am autistic, so I might have just misunderstood the tone completely ^^*

in that case I'm srry for wasting your time reading this fndjskfa

while I have the confidence to send this ask I might as well add that your lineart is SO good and I must have watched your scc animation at least 10 times: at least 3 of those time was on low speed as I paused at every frame, and I also just really appreciate that you give ralsei a tail, the fluffy boy deserves a fluffy tail *applause*

the transphobia seemed entirely baseless, they didn't connect it to anything but I can't imagine why someone would send it if not for Being Pissed At Something I Did.

anyway that wasn't meant to be heacanon policing, i feel justified being upset w people mischaracterizing scc, sweet in this case, bc ppl will make sweet's defining character trait "grmpy straight man character" when he isn't ! he is not at all the straight man character, if anything, capn kinda is? since he's the only one to point out something not making sense (like kk asking to buy a bagel when he's selling them) whereas sweet goes perfectly along with kk saying he wants to be a car. sweet Does get angry, we see that before and after their fight, but they were also very easily convinced (by kk, not really capn) to stop being mad and was immediately happy again. overall sweet is just emotional, and i don't like that people stop at "mad". and then making them the straight man character was wrong to begin with. their characterization is just so clear to me i don't get why people think he's jaded. now I'm worried abt that also sounding mean when i didn't intend it so but Well. maybe i deserve to be mean. as a treat /j

and well i have every right to be mad abt people infantalizing kk i think. you didn't say that and I'm not accusing you but since I'm on the thought train of Being Mad With Their Fandom Mischaracterization

also thank you ! ralsei can have a tail. as a treat

[destinyc1020]

i knew from the moment i learned that austin would have a southern accent in masters of the air that there would be confusion on if he was still doing the "elvis voice".

to be more specific the real person he is portraying major gale cleven has a "cowboy" accent and literally in the show points to a map and says he's from wyoming the cowboy state LMAOOOO. (to which i think he's actually nailing the accent)

so trust me i can understand how, especially since this is his first project outside of elvis why some may be a little ????

to follow up in response to his characters like gale or benny (the bikeriders) his characters aren't supposed to be dynamic if that makes sense. gale is described as a simple man, he's stoic he doesn't emote as much as say the other individuals. same goes for benny the director described him as an empty vessel, these other characters (tom, jodie, mike) there supposed to put all there energy into him and still want more from him. the character is emotionally checked out, and unavailable. the movie is supposed to ride off the fact that all these other characters are in your face but he isn't.

i hope that makes sense in a way...

GIRL lol... Yea, I've already seen the jokes....

I'll admit, some of the ones on Twitter have cracked me up a little bit... like this one lol... 😅🤣

.

.

😅🤣

They need to leave my men in that series ALONE! lol 😅😅

They're doing the BEST they can!!! 😭😭

It's sad when you have an article posting this:

All jokes ASIDE lol.... I think you're right though girl.... Knowing Austin, he worked to perfect that Major Cleven accent, cuz he's just a perfectionist like that. I think some jokers on Twitter just took it to mean that he's still using an "Elvis voice". 🙄 But the accent isn't even the same as Elvis!

Do these people need their hearing checked? 😅🤣

Thanks for your input too regarding MOTA and "The Bikeriders". I think you're right, he's probably just playing more subdued and stoic characters, and so that's probably the point. I didn't know that little tidbit about The Bikeriders, but it sounds like his character is kinda like the total complete opposite from Tom and Jodie's characters...and perhaps that's the point the director was making. 🤷🏾‍♀️

Look... I already know Austin... If a script calls for him to go HAM, he's gonna go HAM. But if it doesn't, then he's not. I don't think people have to worry in other words lol. But I'll make up my own mind when I see the film myself lol.

I'm enjoying MOTA....accents all over the place and all lol 😅🤣

[titaniumpsychologist]

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨!!!!!!!! 😃

Wait, does this mean I post 7 of them or one really long one 😅

Okay fine, long one lol.

(Spoiler ahead for a pending update for my fic Duality of Light, please heed the warnings and tags on that fic before proceeding)

~~~

Going up here was a mistake.

Connor gripped the chainlink fence surrounding the half-walls of the rooftop as another… 

…preconstruction?

…memory?

Whatever it was, it assaulted his sensors, making it nearly impossible to focus on any other inputs he was trying to override it with. He was fine when he made his way up here. The malfunction triggered by seeing how high up he was.

Fighting. Blood spattering in crimson and sapphire. The mission to kill Markus. To kill these DPD officers. To kill Hank. All these people getting in the way of his main objective. This wasn't what he wanted to remember of what he used to be the days before the revolution.

What could've been.

But maybe he needed to. Maybe this was how he could keep from ever wanting to be a machine again.

If only Hank weren't so prominent in these malfunctions.

"Hey!" Reed called from suddenly too close behind him. How had he not noticed that he followed him up here? "What the fuck are you doing?"

Connor tried to speak, to exit the processes that were currently running this preconstruction, but he found he couldn't. His grip on the fence tightened, rattling the metal as he trembled.

He couldn't let go.

He couldn't exit the nightmare program still running.

He was stuck.

And someone, worst of all Detective Reed, was watching him as he tried to pull his programming together and failing. No one was supposed to know. They didn't need to.

He felt his breaths quickening, too hot, his stress rising, the stress-sensor still broken.

"Connor?" Reed asked him.

Connor tried to loosen his fingers, to at least hide how much he was shaking. Tried again to turn off the bombardment of fists and gunshots and dropping Hank from the building—no, Hank charging at him and falling—no, Hank shoving?—dropping?—him from the building.

Then it stopped.

He found Reed had brought him away from the fence and closer to the rooftop access door.

"Shit, why the hell are you burning up?" Reed said under his breath.

Connor brushed off Reed's hands on him and he took off his jacket to cool down, his armband dropping onto the thin layer of snow on the roof. Reed stooped to pick it up, hesitated, then handed it to him.

"My stress was too high," Connor said. "Androids overheat once stress reaches a certain point."

"Right. Right. The orientation. That uh… is a thing that happens. Right."

Connor could tell that Reed wanted to say something else, but he looked away.

"You good now?" Reed said after a few moments.

"Yes. Why are you here?"

"Wanted to check on you. Y'know… 'cuz uh… you checked on me earlier. When I…" He rolled his wrist, circling his hands ambiguously in the air. Both of their gazes went to Reed's split knuckle on one of his fingers. He cleared this throat. "What was that?"

Connor draped his jacket in the crook of his elbow after replacing his band where it belonged around his arm. "It was nothing."

"Nah, not this again. You need to get this checked, whatever the fuck this is."

"I will," Connor said.

"You better," Reed said. "Because that was…" He exhaled, relaxed his jaw. "That shit didn't look fun to experience."

"And how would you know?"

"I… get like that, kinda. Sometimes. Maybe it's different, being uh… different… android models but… Maybe not all that different, considering…" Another wrist roll. "All our shit."

He could see how carefully Reed tried to pick his words, as if he didn't know how to talk about whatever it was he was trying to get at. Both were unable to bring themselves to talk about something so… unpleasant. There was a small rumble from deep in Connor's chest, and he couldn't help but pull the corners of his mouth upward.

Connor laughed.

"How the fuck could you be laughing right now?" Reed asked, half in his usual irritation, the other half something… concerned?

"I don't know," Connor said in between fits. He started up again, this time with even more force. It wasn't until he realized that there was moisture running down his face. He brushed it away with his sleeve, and felt even more running down his chin, and he realized he was crying.

Laughter morphed into sobbing.

"I don't know," Connor said, his vocal modulator stuttering. "I don't know, Detective Reed."

"Shit," Reed said. "Shit. Uh…" Running his hands through his hair, Reed shuffled his feet, and then: "I should get Anderson."

"No," Connor said, grabbing Reed by the elbow as he was about to leave. Why couldn't he stop crying? "He can't know."

He expected Reed to just ignore him and go on with getting Hank. Instead, Reed nodded. "Okay, what do you need me to do?"

"Forget you saw anything."

Reed huffed out a breath and nodded. "Alright."

Reed wasn't putting up a fight about this?

"What?" Connor said.

"I'll forget this happened," Reed said. "Or pretend at least. As long as you tell me what the fuck is going on."

Connor looked down at his jacket and his shirt sleeves. The saline had frozen into small beads of frost, with more continuing to be added to it. And these were his new clothes, too.

He started sobbing again, not because of his clothes, but because of all the things he could think of, he was concerned about something so trivial. Maybe his software was getting dangerously unstable.

"I'm scared," Connor said softly. "I don't know what's wrong with me, and… I don't like where it's going." He swiped at his eyes, catching more of his tears with the cuff of his sleeve. "I don't think anyone can fix it."

"What is 'it', Connor?"

"I had an AI handler," Connor said. "I destroyed her after she took over my functions to try to assassinate Markus, and I damaged several parts of my software in the process."

Reed brushed the scar on his nose, not saying anything as he looked off into the distance. "Her…?"

There it was, that look again. Right before he gave Connor information about his fixation about his quarter.

"Can you describe this handler?" Reed asked.

"Her name was Amanda," Connor said. "I believe they modeled her after Kamski's former mentor, Amanda Stern."

Reed's hand dropped and formed into a fist. "Fuck. He did not. He did not fucking do that." He sighed and shook his head. "Sorry. Continue. Why are you afraid of getting rid of her? Sounds like she was a real bitch if she tried to take control of you."

"She was… amicable at first." Connor said. "I thought I could've trusted her. She was a part of my programming, acting as a liaison between me and CyberLife, but for her to take complete control was…"

Cold. Bracing against a harsh blast of chill, Amanda making him take aim at Markus, as he stumbled and crawled his way to the emergency exit.

A gunshot rang in Amanda's triumph—

Reed shook his shoulder. "Hey, you're doing that thing again."

"Sorry." Connor moved his jacket to his other arm to use another sleeve to wipe the moisture from his eyes. "I'm not too pleased with the possibility that she's not completely gone. I don't want Hank to know, because he's aware of what she was capable of and what she tried to make me do, but I don't want him to worry about it."

"And what would 'it' be?"

"I don't want him to worry about—" Connor closed his eyes the moment he caught what his next words would be.

"About what? Her coming back? You losing control?"

Connor shook his head. Those were concerns of his, yes, but… it was more than that with Hank. That wasn't what he was about to say.

Again, that unnamed emotion rose to the top of his processes, error codes and all. That feeling—he hated it. But he could feel it corrupt the controls in his speech synthesizers, as if that feeling wanted a way to escape…

…and he didn't want to keep fighting it.

"I don't want him to worry about losing me. I don't want him to worry about me… dying."

Reed's expression softened. A little sadder. A little… lost.

[xamaxenta]

soooo… Anything you want to get added in the MAS tattoo idea? Imma writing it somewhere next week, so if you have any input, have at it!

Im glad i tagged one post from it bc i forgot what i even wrote about

I dont have anything specific, i trust you :3 you always manage to turn my squawking into something fun to read

I guess the main pointers were

Ace is a tattoo artist, well praised for his light handed technique, he has a tongue piercing and does a cover up tattoo for Marco (original was on marcos right shoulderblade), he’s great at stylised bold lines bright colour ink

Sabos a piercing artist and has the left eyebrow/brow bone shot up with all kinds of metal cuz he likes dangling an upside down cross over the sunken socket of his blind eye, devil imagery hes edgy lmao, until the dangling jewelry whacks him in the eyeball cuz he turned his head too fast and momentum rip

Theyre both exceptionally gay for Marco who’s just trying to keep it simple and professional between them all, technically he’s their boss sooo sjhfh, Marco has alot of experience so his portfolio has something of everything abstract designs hyper realism (animals people etc) anime stuff (lol imagine Marco putting weeb shit on Ace’s body like who even watches this show and Ace is like UH ME? THEYRE MY BLORBO-)

Idk how they get together i never actually pursued it so thats up to you, i think it was meant to be rly dramatic bc marcos an ex gang member and lost thatch to said cartel and thats why he got Ace to cover up his og tatt and yeah its tender n gay and they have a moment and stuff